Hamstring Active Release Technique in Cervicogenic Headache

It has been suggested that the suboccipital muscles are a causative factor in both cervicogenic neck pain and headache. Hamstrings and sub-occipital muscles are connected by a neural system and sub-occipital muscles pass through the dura Mater. Increased tension and shortening of the hamstring's muscles can cause neck and shoulder pain. In addition, when the muscles around the neck are tensed, the muscles in the limbs are also tensed, so that if the tone of the hamstring muscles is decreased, SLR test score increased, and the tone of the sub-occipital muscles is reduced. Active release technique is found to have an effect on hamstring flexibility.

Inclusion Criteria:Unilateral headache (in the same side) related by pain, movement and sustaining position of neck started from the occiput spread to the tempro-frontal region for more than 3 months.Pain and tenderness at the upper cervical segment's palpation.Movement restriction in cervical region, especially in the upper cervical rotation.Positive SLR test for hamstring muscle less than 80◦.Exclusion Criteria:Malignancy.Other types of headaches, including migraine, tension type, other serious headaches.History of head and neck trauma or surgery.Pregnancy.Physiotherapy for headache in the last 3 months.